Fado – The Blues of Portugal

Text: Hanno Grahl, June 2026

Just under ten minutes from the Elbphilharmonie lies Hamburg’s Portuguese Quarter, where restaurants, cafés and bars offer a taste of life on the Atlantic coast. No other city outside Portugal is home to as many Portuguese people as Hamburg. Alongside wine and the national dish bacalhau – dried cod – there is hardly anything more closely associated with Portuguese identity than fado. This uniquely expressive style of singing is immensely popular and also a regular feature at the Elbphilharmonie. In 2019, for example, Ana Moura electrified the audience in the Grand Hall with her soulful voice and the legendary magic of fado.

The origins of fado remain shrouded in mystery. Some researchers point to Arab influences, while others cite Portugal’s colonial history and connections with regions in Africa and South America, including Angola, Mozambique and Brazil. Perhaps, however, it is simply a blend of all these influences, embraced by artists in Lisbon and gradually shaped into the fado culture we know today.

What many do agree on is its approximate point of origin: fado emerged in the streets of Lisbon in the early 19th century. At the time, the Portuguese royal family was residing not in Portugal itself but in Brazil – a circumstance that further intensified the cultural exchange between the two countries. Alongside growing trade, artistic and cultural influences flowed more freely too, a factor that may also have contributed to the development of fado.

The singer Maria Severa, known as »A Severa«, is widely regarded as the pioneer of the fadista tradition. Poverty, prostitution and an early death – her short life was filled with tragedy and could easily have inspired countless fado songs. Severa soon became a legendary figure whose story lived on through plays, films and music.

The Portuguese guitar, the characteristic accompanying instrument of traditional fado, also established itself early on. Pear-shaped, slightly smaller than a conventional guitar and fitted with twelve strings, it became inseparable from the genre. Many fado guitarists achieved celebrity status equal to that of the singers themselves, including Gonçalo Paredes, Carlos Paredes and the legendary António Chainho.

Fado is the musical expression of the Portuguese concept of »saudade«, a term that is almost impossible to translate. It is associated with world-weariness, wistfulness, nostalgia and a gentle melancholy. The poetic description »the presence of the absent« captures this feeling beautifully. Fadistas sing about life in all its facets: grief, longing, heartbreak and wanderlust, but also joy, family and moments of happiness. Their lyrics are often deeply personal.

It is precisely this intimacy that sets fado apart and continues to move audiences far beyond Portugal’s borders. Often, there is no need to understand the words. You can feel their meaning through the music, the singing and the performers’ expression. As the saying goes: »You can’t explain fado, you can only feel it.«

Although the songs were first sung in the poorer neighbourhoods of Lisbon, fado soon found its way into the salons of high society. By the 20th century, it had become inseparably woven into Portuguese culture and everyday life. Fado is far more than simply a musical genre.

Amália Rodrigues remains by far the most famous fadista of all time. The »Queen of Fado« brought Portuguese song to the international stage. The profound affection the country felt for Amália became clear once again in the wake of her death in 1999: hundreds of thousands of people lined the route of her funeral procession in her honour, the national election campaign was suspended and three days of national mourning were declared. Parliament even passed a special law allowing her to be buried in Lisbon’s Pantheon earlier than normally permitted – a distinction previously granted only four years after a person’s death. She was even recently immortalised in an Asterix comic.

Other legends of the genre include Carlos do Carmo, Alfredo Marceneiro and Ercília Costa. They were among the great figures who carried the tradition from the 19th into the 20th century and gradually introduced it to international audiences. Yet Amália Rodrigues eclipsed them all. For Ricardo Ribeiro, she remains the ultimate inspiration for every fadista: »We all have Amália in our voices.«

Just one year after the death of the »Queen of Fado«, a young fadista stepped into the spotlight and captivated audiences around the world. In 2000, Mariza was named Fadista of the Year and quickly came to be regarded as Rodrigues’ natural successor. She also played an important role in fado being declared an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2011. For the singer, fado is »above all, the music of the soul. It’s all about emotion. Fado is deeply Portuguese; it represents our culture.«

While remaining firmly rooted in tradition, Mariza has also embraced new musical influences. She occasionally performs with orchestras and ventures into other genres, although she feels most at home accompanied simply by the guitar. A frequent guest in Hamburg in recent years, she returns as part of Elbphilharmonie Summer 2026 to present her programme »Amor«, bringing the unmistakable atmosphere of Lisbon to the Grand Hall.

The fadista Carminho is another of the leading voices of contemporary fado. »Eu Vou Morrer de Amor ou Resistir« (»I Will Die of Love or Resist«) is the title of her latest album, a title that alone captures the essence of fado. Carminho has masterful control over her voice and manages to weave contemporary elements into the enduring traditions with gentle elegance. »Not to change fado,« she insists. »But to work on it, like an artisan, with the hands.«